Whey comes from the manufacture of cheese. Whey permeate (sometimes also referred to as permeate processed whey) comes from a process of removing at least some of the protein from whey. The whey permeate is usually condensed to remove at least some of the water. A typical condensed whey permeate comprises about 35-45% by weight total solids, of which total solids about 75-80% by weight is lactose.
It is beneficial to produce whey permeate hydrolysate concentrates for use in a wide variety of animal and human foodstuffs and nutritional compositions and supplements. These uses include use of whey permeate hydrolysate concentrates as substitutes for other components of foodstuffs and nutritional compositions.
One of the difficulties in the transport and use of whey permeate hydrolysate concentrates is that the liquid products are subject to sedimentation such that they cannot perform as desirable in a wide variety of industrial and agricultural uses that may require storage or transport over time and temperature profiles where sedimentation occurs, thus preventing their benefits from being realized.
In addition, liquid whey permeate hydrolysate concentrates also may be of such high viscosity that they can be unsuitable for industrial and agricultural uses that involve pumping, conduit transport or pouring.
Accordingly, where it is desired to use liquid whey permeate hydrolysate concentrates in industrial food production, such as in the production of animal feeds or food preparation processes, it is beneficial to be able to provide liquid whey permeate hydrolysate concentrates that have beneficial solids contents, while maintaining sufficiently good viscosity and resistance to sedimentation that they may be pumped, transferred by conduit or poured in industrial settings.
Accordingly, there remains a need for whey permeate hydrolysate concentrates that offer all of the nutritional benefits of hydrolyzed lactose and resultant galactooligosaccharides (GOS), but likewise offer an advantageous collection of concomitant physical properties, such as high solids, as well as suitable viscosity and resistance to sedimentation over typical storage periods and within temperature ranges experienced in various storage and transportation conditions, and in application climates.